I probably wouldn't be writing this if Alabama executed properly and won the game. 1-3 against Alabama wouldn't be anything special, we've seen that before.
But, 2-2? Splitting the past 4 National Championships with Alabama? Yeah, credit where credit is due. It is enough to daydream about what could have been, Dabo succeeding Saban and a dynasty that lasts another couple decades. Those stars won't align though, Dabo despite being an Alabama guy in just about every way possible, is now a Clemson legend. He's there for life unless he gets caught with a dead hooker (and even then the campus police might make that go away).
I'd like to make excuses, Alabama didn't get the calls. Alabama got bad breaks and made big mistakes. They gained about as much as Clemson, they had the ball longer, they just couldn't catch a break. That doesn't change what happened though. This felt like Alabama vs. Florida in 2009, only Alabama is Florida. Florida was loaded with talent, Florida had the Heisman trophy winning quarterback, they had the great coach and the championships, but Alabama just wanted it more.
Most coaches have slowly lost stature in comparison to Saban. Head to head Saban ended up taking over and dominating (though there was a time Les Miles was 50% against Saban). Even from a distance, his success has been something coaches like Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops couldn't keep up with. Both retired early, for their own reasons in part, but I can't help but think both would have had an easier time of it in a world without Saban (heck, Stoops almost got Julio).
Dabo though? He's shown he can go head to head with Alabama. He even beat Saban for a key recruit, without poaching Justin Ross the game almost certainly goes differently. He has his own Kirby Smart in Venables, who has become a defensive savant (a top 10 defense in each of the past three seasons). He has shown that it was more than just luck in landing Watson, as he now has another terrifying quarterback. He also made the call during the season to switch to said quarterback, who gained key experience leading up to the championship game. He got key defensive players to come back another year and compete for a title. In short, he's done an amazing job.
I'll admit it, I'm intimidated by Clemson. That doesn't mean Alabama can't take them out. Of course they can. Nick Saban has lead his teams to victories over Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, over Watson and Clemson, over Georgia and Stafford, over a lot of great LSU teams. Of course they can do this, but Trevor Lawrence is legit. Clemson's defense is legit, and their head coach is legit. I don't see them going away anytime soon.
This might motivate Alabama and Nick Saban in a way the 2008 loss to Florida did, Alabama tends to bounce back from crushing losses in fine fashion. Nick Saban has already tightened things up in recruiting. The team had a lot to deal with, the offensive coordinator had a foot out the door, the team was banged up, etc... so I'm still hopeful for the future of Alabama. But, hats off to Clemson, and it sure seems like there's another coach and another program out there that's ready, willing, and able to go toe to toe with Alabama.
But, 2-2? Splitting the past 4 National Championships with Alabama? Yeah, credit where credit is due. It is enough to daydream about what could have been, Dabo succeeding Saban and a dynasty that lasts another couple decades. Those stars won't align though, Dabo despite being an Alabama guy in just about every way possible, is now a Clemson legend. He's there for life unless he gets caught with a dead hooker (and even then the campus police might make that go away).
I'd like to make excuses, Alabama didn't get the calls. Alabama got bad breaks and made big mistakes. They gained about as much as Clemson, they had the ball longer, they just couldn't catch a break. That doesn't change what happened though. This felt like Alabama vs. Florida in 2009, only Alabama is Florida. Florida was loaded with talent, Florida had the Heisman trophy winning quarterback, they had the great coach and the championships, but Alabama just wanted it more.
Most coaches have slowly lost stature in comparison to Saban. Head to head Saban ended up taking over and dominating (though there was a time Les Miles was 50% against Saban). Even from a distance, his success has been something coaches like Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops couldn't keep up with. Both retired early, for their own reasons in part, but I can't help but think both would have had an easier time of it in a world without Saban (heck, Stoops almost got Julio).
Dabo though? He's shown he can go head to head with Alabama. He even beat Saban for a key recruit, without poaching Justin Ross the game almost certainly goes differently. He has his own Kirby Smart in Venables, who has become a defensive savant (a top 10 defense in each of the past three seasons). He has shown that it was more than just luck in landing Watson, as he now has another terrifying quarterback. He also made the call during the season to switch to said quarterback, who gained key experience leading up to the championship game. He got key defensive players to come back another year and compete for a title. In short, he's done an amazing job.
I'll admit it, I'm intimidated by Clemson. That doesn't mean Alabama can't take them out. Of course they can. Nick Saban has lead his teams to victories over Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, over Watson and Clemson, over Georgia and Stafford, over a lot of great LSU teams. Of course they can do this, but Trevor Lawrence is legit. Clemson's defense is legit, and their head coach is legit. I don't see them going away anytime soon.
This might motivate Alabama and Nick Saban in a way the 2008 loss to Florida did, Alabama tends to bounce back from crushing losses in fine fashion. Nick Saban has already tightened things up in recruiting. The team had a lot to deal with, the offensive coordinator had a foot out the door, the team was banged up, etc... so I'm still hopeful for the future of Alabama. But, hats off to Clemson, and it sure seems like there's another coach and another program out there that's ready, willing, and able to go toe to toe with Alabama.
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